Grand View Spire is a 5,821-foot-elevation (1,774-meter) sandstone pillar located in Colorado National Monument, in Mesa County of western Colorado, United States. This 400-foot tower is situated on the west side of Monument Canyon, one mile southeast of the monument's visitor center, and 9 miles (14 km) west of the community of Grand Junction. It is also 0.32 mile immediately south of Independence Monument, and 0.27 mile northwest of another climbing destination, Kissing Couple.[1] Its unofficial name relates to its position at the tip of Grand View Overlook, one of several scenic viewpoints along Rim Rock Drive.[5]

Grand View Spire
East aspect
Highest point
Elevation	5,821 ft (1,774 m)[1]
Prominence	161 ft (49 m)[1]
Parent peak	Black Ridge[2]
Isolation	2.21 mi (3.56 km)[2]
Coordinates	39°05′28″N 108°43′22″W[1]
Geography
Grand View Spire Location in Colorado Show map of Colorado Grand View Spire Grand View Spire (the United States) Show map of the United States
Location	Colorado National Monument Mesa County, Colorado, U.S.
Parent range	Colorado Plateau Uncompahgre Plateau[1]
Topo map	USGS Colorado National Monument
Geology
Age of rock	Late Triassic to Early Jurassic[3]
Type of rock	Wingate Sandstone
Climbing
First ascent	1961[4]
Easiest route	class 5.8 A2 climbing[2]

Geology

The spire is composed primarily of cliff-forming Wingate Sandstone, which consists of wind-borne, cross-bedded quartzose sandstones deposited as ancient sand dunes approximately 200 million years ago in the Late Triassic. The caprock at the summit consists of fluvial sandstones of the resistant Kayenta Formation. The slope around the base of Grand View Spire is Chinle Formation.[6] The floor of the canyon is Precambrian basement rock consisting of gneiss, schist, and granites. Precipitation runoff from this geographical feature drains to the Colorado River, approximately three miles to the northeast.

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Grand View Spire is located in a semi-arid climate zone.[7] Summers are hot and dry, while winters are cold with some snow. Temperatures reach 100 °F (38 °C) on 5.3 days, 90 °F (32 °C) on 57 days, and remain at or below freezing on 13 days annually. The months April through October offer the most favorable weather to visit.

Climbing

Established rock climbing routes on Grand View Spire:[8]

• Southwest Defile Route – class 5.8 C2 – 3 pitches – First ascent 1961 by John Auld, John Kuglin, Gary Ziegler[9]
• Relics – class 5.10 – 5 pitches – FA November 13, 1991, by Mike Baker, Michael Kennedy, Bob Wade[10]

See also

• List of rock formations in the United States

Gallery

References

External links

• Weather forecast: National Weather Service
• Grand View Spire rock climbing: Mountainproject.com